The present invention relates to means for splicing conductive wires such as electric wires or lead wires, an automobile wire harnesses, and optical fiber cables.
For examples, as wire harnesses for automobiles there are main harness, side harness, engine sub harness, rear harness, door harness, and instrument harness. These wire harnesses are each constituted by connecting a large number of conductive wires.
The connection of conductive wires is performed, for example, by first removing an insulating coating on each of wires to be connected together, then contacting the resulting open wire portions with each other and connecting them together using a metallic connection terminal, or fusion-welding them directly in a hot state.
The connection of a harness serving as a connecting member is coated for protection with a coating material to prevent corrosion of the metal caused by the entry of water or salt damage which would lead to bad influences such as defective electrical connection or disconnection. According to the protecting method adopted most commonly, a splicing tape such as insulating polyvinyl-chloride tape is used and it is wound round a connection of wires. However, this conventional method involves drawbacks such as poor sealability or difficult handling, requiring skill. For example, in the case of harness, since all of conventional splicing means cannot provide complete waterproofing, a harness is extended up to the room of an automobile to position the connection of the harness in the room in order to prevent defective connection or disconnection caused by the entry of water or salt damage in the connection. But this takes much time an labor for wiring of the harness, and the harness becomes long and heavy; besides, there arises the necessity of ensuring a wide space for the harness, thus leading to increase of the cost.
It is the object of the present invention to permit sealing of a connection of wires in a short time and with few tools required, thereby improving the working efficiency and facilitating the splicing work.